Studies

Readings

Use the Capella library to read the following:

• Hayes, S. C. (Ed.). (1989). Rule-governed behavior: Cognition, contingencies, and instructional control. Boston, MA: Springer.
  • Pages 110–115 in Chapter 3, “Rule-Governed Behavior in Behavior Analysis.”
  • Pages 119–124 and 146–149 in Chapter 4, “An Experimental Analysis of Rule-Governed Behavior.”
  • Pages 153–155 in Chapter 5, “The Verbal Action of the Listener as a Basis for Rule-Governance.”
  • Pages 202–209 in Chapter 6, “Rule-Following.”
• Kim, D., Seitz, A. R., & Watanabe, T. (2015). Visual perceptual learning by operant conditioning training follows rules of contingency. Visual Cognition, 23(1/2), 147–160.
• Tarbox, J., Zuckerman, C. K., Bishop, M. R., Olive, M. L., & O’Hora, D. P. (2011). Rule-governed behavior: Teaching a preliminary repertoire of rule-following to children with autism. The Analysis of Verbal Behavior, 27(1), 125–139.

Learning Components

This activity will help you achieve the following learning components:

• Define rule-governed and contingency-shaped behavior.

Developing Behavior: Rules Verses Contingencies

Click the linked Developing Behavior: Rules Versus Contingencies title above to launch the media. Our behavior is determined by many different influences in our environment. Some behaviors are developed through personal experience with contingencies in our environment, while other behaviors are developed through an understanding of rules put in place by some type of authority. In this activity, you work through a series of scenarios and practice identifying whether a behavior is rule governed or contingency shaped.

Note: This media piece is included in your required instructional activities. Although you will not receive a grade for this activity, you must complete it to pass the course.

An ABA Media Best Practices guide is located in the resources. Follow the practices in this guide to have the best possible experience with the media and to make sure you get credit for this activity.

Resources

• ABA Media Best Practices [DOCX].

ABA Terminology Flashcards – Unit 6

In each unit, you are provided with resources to help you study and practice behavior analysis terminology. Mastering the terminology during your program will provide you with a solid foundation for developing examples of these terms and ultimately for practical application in the field.

• Click the linked ABA Terminology Flashcards – Unit 6 title above to launch the media and master your knowledge of the terms used in this unit.

Note: This media piece is included in your required instructional activities. Although you will not receive a grade for this activity, you must complete it to pass the course. You are required to answer each question correctly to receive credit for completing this activity.

An ABA Media Best Practices guide is located in the resources. Follow the practices in this guide to have the best possible experience with the media and to make sure you get credit for this activity.

Learning Components

This activity will help you achieve the following learning components:

• Define common terms used in the field of applied behavior analysis.

Resources

• ABA Media Best Practices [DOCX].

Instructor Contact Session

In this two-hour session, your instructor talks about specific topics related to ABA. Listen to the lecture, and then participate in the session by responding to any ASR questions through polls, participating in small breakout groups, and engaging in discussions with your peers and instructor in the chat area.

ICSs are not graded, but you must attend and participate in seven out of 10 of these sessions to pass the course. Participation is defined as:

• Attending ICS by phone or Zoom.
• Actively providing spoken or written input during ICS.
• Responding to a majority of the ASRs through polls in Zoom.

If you are going to miss a session, you must notify your instructor in advance. It is strongly recommended that you view the recordings of any sessions that you miss.

Note: If you require the use of assistive technology or alternative communication methods to participate in this activity, please contact DisabilityServices@Capella.edu to request accommodations.

Resources

• DisabilityServices@Capella.edu.</a href=”mailto:disabilityservices@capella.edu”>
• Using Zoom.

Contingency-Shaped and Rule-Governed Behaviors

Each week you must provide an initial post responding to one of the discussion board prompt options. Please include the discussion prompt you are addressing in the subject line of your post.

Review the posts of other learners and engage in two responses to a learner or learners in any discussion board prompt. (You may respond to the same learner twice in a conversation.)

General Guidelines

Your responses should be substantive and demonstrate your understanding of the material. In this, and in all of your courseroom posts, be sure to keep your tone respectful and professional. Use the name of the peer you are addressing. Cite any references according to APA guidelines.

Unit 6, Discussion Prompt Option 1

Real Life

What is a real-world example of a contingency shaped behavior and rule-governed behavior you engage in? Think about your daily behavior and determine if it is a primarily rule-governed or contingency-shaped behavior. Explain your rationale.

Unit 6, Discussion Prompt Option 2

Practice

On page 470 of the Behavior Modification text, you will see a sample of a one-party behavioral contract. Think about a behavior you would like to change and write your own one-party behavioral contract including all of the required components. Do you think it will work? Explain your rationale.

Unit 6, Discussion Prompt Option 3

Ask, Answer, Share

In this thread, you have the opportunity to engage with your peers about the content of the unit in your current environment! Do you have a question for your peers about their experiences with the terms in a clinical setting? Do you wish to share an example of how you understand these terms as they relate to your life or experience? This is a space for peer engagement which will be monitored by your instructor, but if you have specific questions for your instructor please use the Ask Your Instructor forum, email, or course messages.

Learning Components

This activity will help you achieve the following learning components:

• Provide examples of rule-governed behavior.
• Provide examples of contingency-shaped behavior.

Resources

• Discussion Participation Scoring Guide.

Quiz 6

This quiz covers elements from the BCBA/BCaBA Task List (5th ed.) in this unit. This quiz will help you and your instructor to assess your learning gains and mastery of the relevant learning objectives and the following course competency:

• Competency 1: Distinguish the principles of behavior analysis associated with increasing and decreasing behavior.

Please carefully read the following instructions before beginning the quiz:

• You must complete and submit the quiz by Sunday at 11:59 p.m. Central time.
• Do not start the quiz until you are fully prepared to complete it (that is, all unit study activities must be completed). The quiz must be completed without referring to reading materials, study aids (for example, flash cards), or notes. A dictionary is permitted to check spelling, however a glossary is not permitted. Contact with other learners or any informant is expressly prohibited during a quiz.
• There is no time limit for this or any other courseroom quizzes.
• You may retake this quiz up to a maximum of three attempts. If you have any incorrect answers, this allows you to study related content before the next quiz attempt. The average of your scores will be recorded as your grade.

Click the linked quiz title to access the quiz. If you have any issues with the quiz, contact your instructor.

Resources

• Quiz 6 Scoring Guide.

Periodically, information will be posted in this space for the good of the class.

This forum was created to provide a convenient space for you to ask questions—questions about particular assignment and discussion activities, questions about the course in general, questions about expectations. If there is something that you feel you could use help with, please post your question here. Most likely, some of your classmates will have the same concern, so your post may help several learners. If you feel your question is private, please use the Messages tool found under Notifications.